Koscielny’s deal will keep him at the club until he is just months of turning 35, which is testament to the enormous faith placed in the centre-back from the Arsenal staff.

The 31-year-old has developed into one of the Premier League’s outstanding defenders since moving to Emirates Stadium from French club Lorient in the summer of 2010.

The announcement of the contract for the Frenchman comes 48 hours after Arsenal signed 20-year-old Cohen Bramall from non-league Hednesford Town.

The defender, who is principally a left-back but can also fill in at left midfield, will not be in Arsene Wenger’s first team squad but has impressed the Arsenal staff enough to earn a place in the development squad.

The Mirror claim the deal cost Arsenal just £40,000 and Bramall has signed a contract which will keep him in London until at least 2019.

The former non-league star is the club’s first January signing, although they have been linked to a number of targets.

Football Insider verdict:

Koscielny might be the beneficiary of the dearth of outstanding centre-backs across the globe, but his three-and-a-half year deal is reward for his calibre and consistency. The Frenchman is not only Arsenal’s best defender but also one of the leading operators in his position in Europe, and it is clear that players of his ilk do not grow on trees. Wenger once had a policy of only offering one-year deals to players in their 30s. An exception has been made for Koscielny, which is both remarkable – given Wenger’s notorious stubbornness – but also testament to the player’s pedigree.

About

Established in late 2016, Football Weeks is an online football news portal updated daily with Insightful Opinions, Transfer Analysis, Fantasy Football Tips relating to top European Football Leagues. Bookmark us for your updated Premier League Fixtures and Results.